


Pride Month 2018

by 1QueasyCrow



Series: Let Them Rest [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-05-17 13:46:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14833412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1QueasyCrow/pseuds/1QueasyCrow
Summary: Drabbles for pride month prompt calendar on tumblr for this year and last year, unrelated unless otherwise specified.





	1. Day 1 Storm/First Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Pride month prompt calendar from [here](https://tinyurl.com/yb5lmzxm)

It's raining harder than it has all year, the basement of their little student apartment is flooded and the pump only managed to start working a few minutes ago, despite Natasha sloshing around and hitting the poor thing with a wrench for the last three hours.

They're curled up on the couch under as many dry blankets as they could find. Liho is snuggled tightly into the small mountain as well, nuzzling quietly into a motif of Mjölnir. They don't usually share space so closely, but after Natasha had just sat down in the half foot of water to stare at the broken pump Maria had decided intervention and body heat were necessary. After a call to Tony and shoving a very cold Nat towards the hot shower, the basement was now draining and the blanket mountain had been created and colonized.

"Yerwurm." The muffled slur comes from under an image of Captain America

"I'm worm?" Maria giggles.

"Waarm, silly." Natasha retorts pulling the blanket away from her face.

"Nat, you're tired go to sleep."

"Mmmm snuggle" Natasha slurs as she nestles closer to her roomate, poor Liho quickly vacating the space to make room.

Maria's not entirely sure she's equipped to deal with her roomate/crush pinning her to a couch with nothing but charm and snuggles.

Natasha nestles closer.

Scratch that, she is entirely sure she is not equipped for this.

"Hey Maria."

"Yeah Nat."

"You're the best."

"Thanks Nat."

"You'd make a good girlfriend."

"You're sleep deprived."

"And totally right."

"Sure, whatever you say" she says pecking the Natasha on the head in an effort to get her to sleep.  
"Y'should do that again, was nice," Maria hesitates for a moment but figures she has to use anything she can to get the redhead to sleep. So with that in mind she leans down again but Nat, with surprising speed, moves her head up so their lips meet an a very awkward first kiss.

"Ah, sorry I hope I didn't read that wrong, though if I did, I'm not nearly as good as I thought I was."

“Wha- you knew?!"

"Touchy much? Director obvious? See? Because you’re the...Director? Of the...Student...Union? Uh, forget it, do you just want to snuggle some more and watch Brooklyn 99?"

“Only if I get to kiss you again.”

“Bossy.”

“I _am_ a Director you know.”

“Shut up and come here.”

Well, at least the second kiss is far better than the first.


	2. Day 2 Rainbow/Pets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha and Maria have to make a choice, its not easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It will help you understand a small part of this chapter if you have read the Noto/Edmondson 2014 Black widow in which they introduced Liho.

It starts out innocently enough, a trip into the mall for lunch, then a spot of window browsing to kill some time before work requires all the energy she has and then some. Maria ends up at the pet store with the intention of grabbing some more cat food for Liho, but by the time she’s made her way around the little shop her mind has been overtaken by a little (big) resident in the store window. What looks like a golden retriever mix who’s gotten too big for his enclosure.

Maria wanders over to the counter where there’s a short brunette slouched in a chair scrolling through her phone. She startles when Maria puts Lihos food on the desk.

“Ah, um, is that, is that everything for today?” she says, flustered.

“Yeah. Actually, forgive me for the cliché but, how much is the dog in the window?”

“Oh that’s Theddison, he’s actually “free” for the next day or so, we don’t have a lot of space so we’re trying to find a home for him. Otherwise he’ll have to go to a shelter,” she frowns, “I thought I could help animals in this job, turns out I just get a closer seat to the problem.”

Maria frowns, she and Natasha had considering another pet but Theddison was big and their apartment was...not.

“It’s just such a shame they won’t do the work to find a no kill shelter for him,” she continues “just because he outgrew his pen, I keep giving them names but they won’t pay the “fees” god I hate the corporations so much I just argh!” she slumps back into her chair before seeming to realize she still hadn’t scanned the bag of food.

“Why don’t you take him?” Maria asks.

“Me? Oh no no no no no no, Jane would flip she can’t have any animals near her precious ‘science’, it really would be unsafe for him around all the experiments, and I can’t afford rent in this city by myself, hi I’m Darcy by the way,” she finishes her rant and extends her hand over the counter.

“Maria, nice to meet you,” they shake and Maria pays. As she’s leaving Theddison, scratches at the window, boops his enormous nose against the glass and licks his lips. She gives him a quiet “sorry bud” before heading back to work.

That night as they’re sitting with dinner she brings up the idea of a dog with Natasha, she mentions the pet shop and Theddison, how they’ll have to ship him off to a shelter just because he grew to big. Natasha listens intently, as she always does, nods and mmhms at the appropriate moments but does stay quieter than usual when Maria’s finished.

“Maria, you know I love you but this might be taking things a bit fast. You only found out about this dog, what? 6 hours ago? And now you want to bring him home, is this place really big enough for him?” Nat really does look concerned and despite the urge to argue last minute rescues Maria concedes the point.

“You’re right, I know life’s not perfect, and there’s just some things we can’t fix,” Natasha nods and moves around the table to give her girlfriend a hug. 

Nat looks down at Liho who has taken up temporary residence on her feet and is purring softly. Right, life's hard, some things can never happen.

X

Maria decides to go to the pet store again after her shift, maybe see Theddison once more, but to her dismay the window lies empty when she gets there. She hurries inside and finds Darcy the same as she had yesterday; feet propped up on the desk, scrolling through her phone. To her credit she does not nearly fall off her chair when Maria approaches this time.

“Hey, Maria right?”

“That would be me, where’s Theddison?”

“Aww you just missed him some one came to collect him maybe an hour ago?” she looks at the floor and shuffles from foot to foot.

“Oh. Okay, I uh, I guess I’ll see you around.”

“Oh definitely,” Maria gives her a confused glance but doesn’t think much of it.

As Maria turns out on the the street she hits speed dial one on her phone and Natasha picks up not two rings later.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“I went to see Theddison,” She sighs “they took him already” she can hear the phone shift as Natasha composes her next words.

“Aw, that’s...I’m sorry, I know you wanted to help. Tell you what, you get back to the apartment ASAP and we can watch funny tv and eat ice cream yeah?”

“Yeah that’s sounds good, thanks, love you.”

“Love you too, see you soon.” It’s not the best day she’s ever had but as Maria ends the call she can feel a small smile creep across her face as she hurries the last 3 blocks home.

X

Having spent the last ten minutes thinking about poor Theddison locked up in a cage on his way to a shelter, it comes as a great surprise when he comes barreling into her wearing a rainbow cape and bow tie as Maria opens the front door.

“Oh My Go- oof” Maria’s interrupted by the surdy ball off rainbows and fluff.

“Teddy!” Natasha appears from around the corner and ruffles the puppy’s hair.

“Nat! What the hell?! Why is Theddison sitting in the enrty way in a rainbow cape?!”

“Well…” and so Natasha explained how she had skipped work after calling Steve about bringing in an office dog, to which he ahd replied some very Steve-esque polite version of ‘oh my god I can’t wait!’ Then she had gone to the pet store and picked up Theddison (who she has been calling Teddy ever since) talked Darcy into not spilling the beans on that surprise and, waited for Maria’s call and subsequent arrival home.

“The rainbows were just because he wouldn't leave them alone and this seemed like the best option” the dog in question chuffs at that, and proceeds to spin around in an apparent show of his new accessory.

“But , I thought, doesn’t he need space?” Maria looks worried so Natasha pushes the dog closer, the brunettes hand automatically starts petting the soft ball of fur.

“We don’t live on a top floor apartment, he’ll get a lot of walking on his way to work, there's a lot of room at my work for him to move, and Clint has agreed to let us bring him up to the farmhouse when we go. So, what do you say?”

Maria just starts laughing. This brings Liho around the corner to investigate which is when Maria stops to gather Natasha and their two pets into a giant hug on the floor of their entry way. She knows life’s not perfect but this seems pretty damn close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading this one got long for me, oh well more for you. Leave a comment or poke me on tumblr if you wanna chat, other than that, see you in the future!


	3. Day 3 Affirmation/First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria is awkward, Natasha is Hot, Sharon is meddling and Steve and Sam are just along for the ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just going to put these out at this point, most of them have been sitting 90% finished and I just need to get over my perfectionist tendencies and let them loose into the internet

af·firm·a·tion

/ˌafərˈmāSH(ə)n/

_noun_

  1. the action or process of affirming something or being affirmed.
  2. emotional support or encouragement.



 

first date

/fərst dāt/

_noun_

  1. a social or romantic appointment or engagement coming before all others in time or order; earliest; 1st.
  2. ~~stressful~~  awkward as all get out.



 

"Dude, they’re gonna be fine."

 

"You don’t know that."

 

"Totally do, its just a date, calm down mamma hen."

 

Steve shifts around uncomfortably in the in the driver's seat, this _had_ been his idea but he’s currently second guessing just about every aspect of it. Sam is doing his best not to mock him mercilessly.

 

Sam and Steve had met at a dance class Sharon had dragged them to and the ex military men had immediately hit it off. She sometimes joked that Sam was going to leave her for the ‘most beautiful man I’ve ever met’. At the bar afterwards they had gotten to talking relationships, which soon led to both of their dysfunctional and single best friends.

 

“Nah man, Sharon has known her for so long I’m pretty sure she just doesn't see it anymore”

 

“Maria is not a robot” she says hitting her fiancé on the arm.

 

“Nah, babe that’s just ‘cause she’s brainwashed you with her neuro...tele...phonic...sonic...waves” he says wiggling his fingers and looking _completely_ ridiculous. Sharon hits him again.

 

“Well I can’t say that Natasha’s a robot—”

 

“Because you’re too nice to say that, Rogers” Sharon interrupts.

 

“—but I can say that perhaps we should arrange a time and place, to which we bring our respective friends to see what happens.”

 

“Oh my god, did I just hear that right? Mr. Steve Rogers, Golden Boy of the century suggesting we send our friends on a blind date? I didn’t realize you had it in you Steve,” Sharon teases as they all laugh and drink.

 

Which is how Steve finds himself in a car with Sam waiting for Sharon to ditch the girls and get back to report.

 

“Dude stop tapping your foot, the whole car’s shaking.”

 

“I can’t help it, I said blind date, not hey-let’s-kidnap-our-friends-and-force-them-to-go-out-with-each-other.”

 

“a) it’s for their own good— and b) that is pretty much the definition of setting your friends up on a blind date.”

 

Steve glares, “beside the point Wilson.”

 

Man it’s fine Sharon’s gonna introduce them, it will be fine, everything is gonna be fine.”

 

X

Everything is decidedly _not_ fine.

 

When Sharon had said she wanted to do a girl’s night, Maria had been all for it, they hadn’t had a lot of time to just relax lately with Maria having just received a promotion and, Sharon currently doubling as a CIA agent and self wedding planner. Seriously, Maria Hill was a terrifically impressive woman but her pseudo sister still managed to do more. More, like dragging them both to a random bar in the middle of nowhere.

 

The drive to the bar was far off the beaten path and on the ride over Sam had remarked, more than once, that it was something out of Pretty little Liars, perfect kidnapping and/or murder setting (yes, he watched PLL, and yes, he thought Emily deserved better, don’t get him started). Sharon just scoffed and Maria asked if he needed a hug and a night light.

 

She did, on occasion, feel a little bad that they teased him so relentlessly but as always it was fine. He just shook it off as usual. Sam was their rock, and if that meant a little prodding every now and again, so they could let off steam, he was content to take it.

 

When they finally arrive it’s more packed than Maria had expected. The warm glow of incandescent string lights everywhere gives the shadows soft edges and muted centres. They pick a table a la the ‘seat yourself’ sign at the door and before long a tiny waitress in little black apron takes their drink order.

 

Maria’s bourbon on the rocks hasn’t even arrived when Sharon suddenly waves to someone over her shoulder. She follows her friend’s line of sight to a redhead that looks just a little familiar, like when you have a word on the tip of your tongue but can’t quite remember its name.

 

“Maria, this is Natasha, she works with Steve.” Natasha, yes now she remembers. She met her once at a birthday party back when Sharon was still dating the aforementioned military man. They shake hands and Sharon pulls another chair over to the table for Natasha to sit.

 

Small talk abounds and when the waitress returns with Maria’s Bourbon and Sharon’s G&T, she asks Natasha what she would like to drink. The redhead purses her lips as she quickly skims the drink menu before reaching across the small table, peeling the glass out of Maria’s hand and taking a sip.

 

“I’ll think I’ll have one of these,” she says, handing the tumbler back to a stunned Maria. Maria, who is very grateful she was not holding her own drink for the duration of the redhead’s little show. Because dropping your glass in front of a whole room of people does nothing for one’s self esteem.

 

Sharon smiles at her and checks her watch, then in an uncharacteristically bad lie she pretends to get a phone call and hurries outside. Maria watches Natasha as she tracks Sharon’s path to the door. The waitress arrives with Natasha’s drink and she takes it with a smile far too charming as she does.

 

“Well that took long enough,” Maria looks at her quizzically as Natasha continues, “Steve thinks he’s being really stealth, and that’s cute, but I can see his car from here.” Maria is slowly putting the pieces together but it’s clearly taking too long for the redhead so she clarifies, “our friends set us up.”

 

“What? No. They totally wouldn’t, I mean...” Natasha cocks her head and gives Maria a distinct look of ‘are you serious?’ it’s quite poignant and Maria halts her denials at once.

 

“Ok, wow, I feel like an idiot. Sharon and I will be having words when I get out of here.”

 

“Such a rush to leave? Here I thought we were having a good time,” the redhead pouts with a dramatic flare.

 

“No, I mean...” she pauses this was not her planned evening and it’s taking her for quite the turn. “I, I guess I don’t know what I mean, you seem really nice so it’s not you—” Natasha cuts her off.

 

“Hold on are you breaking up with me before we’ve even had a first date?” She says with a smile and a laugh and for some reason it puts Maria at the most ease she’s been at all night. “Tell you what, how about we ditch the three amigos and this murder bar, head back into civilization? I know this really great cat café on Main Street, what do you say?” It could be Maria’s mind projecting her own insecurities and clouding her perception but, for the first time tonight, Natasha seems unsure of herself. In the end it’s probably a boon in both women’s favour because it awards Maria the courage to push past her discomfort and take a leap towards the unknown.

 

Inside of ten minutes they’ve paid the bill and are on the road back in to town. Its not how Maria had anticipated this evening to pan out but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let me know what you think, how your dog is, how you figure Liho is doing post infinity War, if you have any good cat cafes near you, whatever, in the comments.


	4. Day 5 AU Free-for-all/Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We have all had those days, where no words seem like best words

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower shop AU obvs I am, so sorry I honestly couldn’t help myself, I’ve actually only seen IMaY once and I don’t remember that much. This Maria Hill is the one that got expelled from school and now works in a flower shop bc she also got kicked out of basic training. Also there is a joke in here which i have been waiting to use for LITERALLY MONTHS

The jingle of the little broken bell signaled the arrival of a new customer and, the beginning of what was sure to be a mind crushing conversation about what flowers some airhead would want for a wedding worth more than Maria’s yearly wages. Turning the corner out of the back room Maria was met with a red haired woman, eyes glued to her tablet, and wearing a white shirt probably a half size too small. It takes her a minute to finish up whatever she’s tapping into the little device, during which she doesn’t notice, or chooses not to notice Maria, who is now standing awkwardly behind the counter and trying not to stare. When she finally raises her eyes from the screen Maria makes a conscious effort to stop staring at the redheads chest.

“Hi, welcome to Fury’s Flowers, we have the breast selection in New York, what can I help you with today?” She’s said the line a thousand times this one should be no–wait, did she just?

“Yeah, I need 2 dozen roses.” Nope, the other woman doesn’t seem to react, just goes back to tapping at her tablet, Maria definitely said normal words nothing out of the ordinary, not at all.

“Alright two bosom roses.” Oh. Oh no. She definitely caught that one because Maria can see the woman hide a smirk behind her tablet as she begins to punch the order into the computer. “And what colour would you like for those to be?” Walk it off Hill. Walk it off.

“Just red is fine, thanks,” that smirk should be illegal. Was it getting very warm in here?

“Alright, two dozen bed– red! Red! Roses. Two dozen red roses. Can I get your name for the order?” Would it be possible for a sinkhole to open up under her feet approximately thirty seconds ago?

“Natalie, Natalie Rushman,” she says with a smile. Maria adds the last details to the little electronic form before repeating the order back to Natalie.

“Okay so that’s, two dozen red roses for Natalie, anything else togay?” Seriously, sinkhole, anytime now.

“No, thanks that’ll be all,” and on top of it all Natalie seems to be a saint as well.

“Right that will be $30,” She hands a card over to Maria who swipes it and avoids eye contact as the machine sluggs its way through the transaction. Once the little terminal has finally finished printing the receipts, she tears them off and hands one to Natalie, who puts it into her folder. “Your flowers will be ready in two hours, have a good day.” Lame.

“Thanks, um,” Natalie squints presumably to read Maria’s faded nametag “Maria. I’ll see you then,” she says with a little shrug and a wink before turning to leave. Maria waits until she’s left the shop before collapsing on the little counter.

“What was that?!” Clint says as he wanders out from behind a giant fern. It takes every ounce of willpower in Maria not to push him back into the foliage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and feedback, catch me on the tumbls @1queasycrow and see you in the future

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for making it here, come say hi and stuff over on the tumbls


End file.
